Hey everyone! I''ve been lurking and learning for a while, and am finally stepping up to make the big purchase for my engagement. After a few months of feeling intimidated by the process and all that, I finally feel like I have a decent sense of what I am looking for. I finally made it into a couple of local B&M stores to look at some stones, which was VERY helpful. (Everything looks like a 12ct ring on the Internet!
) I have pretty much decided that I am going to buy online through one of the recommended vendors here.
So, here''s what I am looking for. I''m planning on getting a channel-cut princess setting (like this one: setting ) and plan to go with a round center stone that is ~.75ct. The store I was at yesterday showed me an AGS Ideal 000 .74 I VS1 stone. It was beautiful, but they were asking $3665 for it. I''m pretty positive I can do much better than that by buying online.
After looking at stones in person, I think my priorities are: cut, clarity, color. I have been absolutely happy with the I color stones I''ve seen. I did see some SI1 and SI2 stones that weren''t eye-clean, and that is important to me. I was surprised, but I could definitely see a difference in the cut quality; stones that were "cleaner" but not cut as well just didn''t look as pretty as the ideal cut stones I saw.
So... I am looking for:
Ideal Cut
Clarity VS or better
Color: I or better
Size: ~.75 or up
My total budget is around $3500-4000 (I don''t want to go over $4k). I''m figuring about $1000 for the setting, which means the stone should fall in the $2500 range, give or take.
Both James Allen and Union Diamond have settings in the style I am looking for, so I have been focusing on them more the past few days. Here are a few options for stones:
Union Diamond: .86 I VS2 - This one is definitely bigger than most of the others I have been looking at. (I''m OK with that!
) The cut is listed as a "Signature Ideal," which I guess means it falls in the "perfect proportions range." The only concern I have with this one is that the symmetry is listed as VG, rather than Exc. Is that a big deal, and what does it mean in terms of the "real world." (I requested a copy of the GIA cert.)
James Allen: .76 I VVS1 - This one looks nice, but I have a feeling I am paying for the VVS1 rating, which I don''t think is necessary.
James Allen: .74 H VS1 - This one looks very nice also.
There are some nice diamonds at other sites in my price range, but they don''t seem to offer a setting that is really what I am looking for (or in my price range...).
WF: ACA .752 I VS1 - This one looks great, but WF doesn''t quite have the setting I am looking for. This one is close, and I may consider it, but I''m not sure.
Any thoughts or other suggestions? I also tried looking at GOG, but seemed to have trouble with the interface on their site. (I would do a diamond search and get "67 results," but it would only list one or two?) There are some nice diamonds at good prices on Blue Nile as well, but I am trying to find out about some more info about some of the settings there.
Thanks for the wonderful resource and all your help already!
So, here''s what I am looking for. I''m planning on getting a channel-cut princess setting (like this one: setting ) and plan to go with a round center stone that is ~.75ct. The store I was at yesterday showed me an AGS Ideal 000 .74 I VS1 stone. It was beautiful, but they were asking $3665 for it. I''m pretty positive I can do much better than that by buying online.
After looking at stones in person, I think my priorities are: cut, clarity, color. I have been absolutely happy with the I color stones I''ve seen. I did see some SI1 and SI2 stones that weren''t eye-clean, and that is important to me. I was surprised, but I could definitely see a difference in the cut quality; stones that were "cleaner" but not cut as well just didn''t look as pretty as the ideal cut stones I saw.
So... I am looking for:
Ideal Cut
Clarity VS or better
Color: I or better
Size: ~.75 or up
My total budget is around $3500-4000 (I don''t want to go over $4k). I''m figuring about $1000 for the setting, which means the stone should fall in the $2500 range, give or take.
Both James Allen and Union Diamond have settings in the style I am looking for, so I have been focusing on them more the past few days. Here are a few options for stones:
Union Diamond: .86 I VS2 - This one is definitely bigger than most of the others I have been looking at. (I''m OK with that!
James Allen: .76 I VVS1 - This one looks nice, but I have a feeling I am paying for the VVS1 rating, which I don''t think is necessary.
James Allen: .74 H VS1 - This one looks very nice also.
There are some nice diamonds at other sites in my price range, but they don''t seem to offer a setting that is really what I am looking for (or in my price range...).
WF: ACA .752 I VS1 - This one looks great, but WF doesn''t quite have the setting I am looking for. This one is close, and I may consider it, but I''m not sure.
Any thoughts or other suggestions? I also tried looking at GOG, but seemed to have trouble with the interface on their site. (I would do a diamond search and get "67 results," but it would only list one or two?) There are some nice diamonds at good prices on Blue Nile as well, but I am trying to find out about some more info about some of the settings there.
Thanks for the wonderful resource and all your help already!
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